Candy
by Kayliem1999
Summary: Parker didn't want to be a theif anymore. So after all the money ran out she got a job at a small little diner down the street from her apartment. Then how did she end up with a job at a strip club? Who finds her there? Can he convince her that she doesn't need to do this? I OWN NOTHING!


They had all gone their separate ways after that day where they didn't die. For awhile, they continued to do their own kind of good. Helping people who couldn't help themselves otherwise without the help of their teammates. Sometimes they contacted each other with small jobs, but the whole team hadn't been together since they climbed out of that van.

Eventually, their money ran out. The big numbers in their bank accounts dwindled to smaller, less impressive numbers. After all, helping people for free meant no income, but a lot of money going out.

So that's how Parker got a job at a diner a few blocks away from her apartment. It paid close to nothing, but the regulars tipped well and they fed her two meals a day. It wasn't an over zealous life, but she was getting by. Surviving like she always had.

She worked there for three years before something went wrong. Parker almost thought she was in the clear before some men started following her home. At first she thought she was just paranoid, but then it happened again. And again.

So Parker packed up her apartment and hit the road. On her way out the door, she pulled the phone Nate had given her for emergencies only and sent out a big group text that she was on the road again. It had been almost two years before anyone had sent a message to the team.

'Location has been compromised. I'll check in when I find a permanent home.'

The next morning when she woke up at a hotel, there was a message on the flip phone resting on her nightstand. It was from Elliot. Though she was happy to hear from him, she was kind of disappointed it was him. She had hoped it would be Hardison.

They had tried to stay together, but it didn't work. She moved out of their joint apartment less than a year after the team separated. Parker hadn't heard from him since. But she couldn't be mad at him, she hadn't bothered to contact him either.

The message from Elliot was simple, just like him. 'Do u need help?'

'No,' she typed. When the message was sent she closed the phone and placed it back on the nightstand.

The next job Parker got, though she wasn't proud of it, was at a strip club. She started off as a bar tender, making drinks and dressing only slightly less provocative than the girls twirling around the poles on stage. Then, she got a promotion. It paid better and the tips were amazing, but she wasn't a fan of the way the men attending the bar stared at her like she was nothing more than a product or the way the touched her. She needed the job though so she kept her mouth closed.

After awhile, she became numb to it. The drunken men fawning all over her and squeezing her ass didn't bother her anymore. And she was good at the job too. Parker was flexible and there was no question about how attractive she was.

Parker didn't mind the job anymore and it wasn't embarrassing anymore to her either.

It was a normal night for her. The same married men shoving wads of cash into her cleavage and drunken slobs spilling beer all over her. Well, she thought it was normal. There was a guy in the back of the room with his head down looking nervous and guilty. Probably his first time at one of these clubs and he was most likely dragged by one of his friends. He was built well with muscles that showed through his work suit. His skin was dark and there were glasses resting on his nose.

Parker made her way slowly over to him. Without making a noise, she slid onto his lap and started grinding on him. She felt his body tense beneath her for a moment. Then, he recovered from the shock and put his hands on her hips.

Parker played it like she always did. Running her hands through her own hair then over his chest. And that's when his eyes turned to face hers and she was met with big brown eyes that were horrifyingly familiar.

"Parker?" Hardison asked incredulously.

"Hardison?" Parker sputtered.

"Is there somewhere we can talk," Hardison asked. "In private."

"Um, sure," Parker said. She was insanely embarrassed and she could feel the heat in her cheeks. Hardison knew that she was a stripper.

She awkwardly climbed off of his lap and lead him to the back room. It was meant for special clients and bachelor parties, but it wasn't booked tonight. Parker pulled the door closed behind them.

"Parker, what are you doing here?" He asked.

"I work here," Parker replied fiddling with the necklace hanging around her neck.

"Why do you work here?"

"Because I ran out of money," Parker said. "Times were hard and I got desperate. I spent three years helping people and eventually my bank accounts were empty. I needed money, okay. I worked at a diner for awhile, but some guys started following me and I moved again. Now I'm here. I hate this job, but I'm not breaking any laws anymore and it pays really well."

"If you needed money, girl," Hardison said crossing the room in a few strides. He pushed a strand of curled blonde hair behind her ear. "You could've just called."

"We didn't exactly end on good terms," Parker said pulling away from him. "And I can take care of myself, I always have."

"But you don't have to," Hardison said reaching out and touching her cheek again.

This time she didn't pull away from him, but leaned into his hand. Hardison tilted his head and connected his lips with the blonde's standing in front of him

Neither had realized how much they had missed that. The way each other's lips felt against their own. Parker placed her hands on his chest allowing her whole body to melt into him. She hadn't been kissed since they had broken up.

Eventually, they had to pull away. Not just because their lungs were screaming for air, but because there was someone knocking on the door with big angry fists.

"Candy," a gruff voice demanded. "Open this damn door."

"Who is that?" Hardison asked.

"My boss," Parker said. "Let me take care of this."

She yanked open the door with a smile creeping onto her lips. The man standing on the other side wore black jeans and an extremely tight black gray t-shirt. He was bald, but had a goatee that didn't look good on him at all. "I quit," she said sweetly. Parker used the heel of her hand to thrust up into the man's face. A sickly crack filled the air as his head shot back. Blood dribbled out of his broken nose as his hand flew up to cover it. She slammed the door in his face and turned back to face Hardison.

"Candy?" He asked.

"It's my stripper name," she replied.

"I like Parker better."

"Me too," she smiled.


End file.
